Document processing devices include printers, copiers, scanners and e-mail gateways. More recently, devices employing two or more of these functions are found in office environments. These devices are referred to as multifunction peripherals (MFPs) or multifunction devices (MFDs). As used herein, MFPs are understood to comprise printers, alone or in combination with other of the afore-noted functions. It is further understood that any suitable document processing device can be used.
Given the expense in obtaining and maintain MFPs, devices are frequently shared or monitored by users or technicians via a data network. MFPs, while moveable, are generally maintained in a fixed location. Until more recent times, users, which may include individuals or groups such as employees, administrators or technicians administrators of networked MFPs, were also generally in relatively fixed location. A user would typically communicate documents or other information from his or her office or workstation to a selected MFP. An administrator or technician would also monitor MFPs from a workstation.
Users may send document processing jobs, such as a print request, to one or more networked devices. In a typical shared device setting, one or more workstations are connected via a network. When a user wants to print a document, an electronic copy of that document is sent to a document processing device via the network. The user may select a particular device when several are available. The user then walks to the selected device and picks up their job or waits for the printed document to be output. If multiple users send their requests to the same device, the jobs are queued and outputted sequentially.
Many document processing operations may require a fee. All operations are associated with costs. All document operations require user access to, and operational time of, a device that can be expensive and further possesses a finite lifetime with regular device maintenance costs. All device operations consume electric power. While some operations, like faxing, e-mailing or scanning, do have costs associated with them, they are relatively small as compared to printing. Printing operations require mechanical interactions that place wear and tear on paper drive mechanisms and imaging mechanism. Printing operations may consume substantially more power, particularly when heat fusing of toner is utilized. Printing operations also require consumption media, such as paper, and deposition components, such as ink or toner. Color printing can be even more expensive as it requires formation of colors by consumption of multiple colors of toner or ink.
For the reasons noted above, many MFPs are subject to a use charge. Operations such as scanning, emailing or faxing may be offered at low or no cost. The more expensive printing or copying may be subject to a fee, such as per-page fee. Color printing or copying may be subject to a higher charge. In some situations, a user may pay their document processing fee directly on an MFP. Brick and mortar printing business such as, FedEx Office, The UPS Store or Staples may have MFPs that a user can use to make fee-based copies or printouts. Payment can be made directly on a machine or via a networked pay terminal.